North Caucasus: secrets of a successful trip. At one's own risk. How I was a tourist in the North Caucasus

The Caucasus is one of the best places for relax in our country. Here you can simultaneously breathe in the mountain and sea air, get incredible emotions from contemplating the majestic peaks and enjoy the sun and sea on the beach.

Those who like sightseeing won't be bored either.

For those who like mountain holiday, the best place will be the Elbrus region. Elbrus having two vertices is the most high point Russia. Its height is more 5500 meters. But not only climbers love this place. Here you can go skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding tours, walks through the winter forest, and excursions are organized.

Main peaks of the Caucasus Mountains:

Elbrus is a double-headed peak, height more than 5642 meters.
Dykhtau, height 5204 meters.
Pushkin Peak, height 5100 meters.
Kazbek 5034 meters.

For amateurs winter holidays in the Caucasus mountains also in great demand enjoy Dombay, Arkhyz, Krasnaya Polyana. According to reviews from skiers, Caucasian slopes are not inferior to European ones in terms of safety and service. Children and beginner skiers will feel great here, because... they are separated from the flow of trained skiers. On the slopes of the mountains there are cafes, places to relax, and in some places you can even sunbathe on special sun loungers. A few tens of meters from the ski lift you can stay at a hotel for your holiday.

IN summer time The North Caucasus attracts with the opportunity to relax on its amazing beaches. Beaches on the Black Sea coast invite you to the following cities:

Anapa
Gelendzhik
Adler
Tuapse

Don't forget about Dzhugba, Gagra, Pitsunda. On the shores of the Caspian Sea are located resort towns Dagestan. The variety of beaches is amazing. There are also equipped beaches for those who love comfort and service, and wild places sea coast, untouched by the influx of tourists, where you can enjoy magnificent views azure sea, rocky cliffs, and just relax in solitude. Lots of fun for lovers active rest offered in these areas. Various water attractions, water parks, zoos, dolphinariums, an aquarium, boat trips and jet skiing will not leave either children or adults indifferent.

Extreme holiday

You should not ignore this type of recreation as extreme. For example, the extreme attraction of the Adler region is Skypark. Here you can go through suspension bridge stretched through a deep gorge between the mountains, swing on a giant swing that is located at a height, jump from a bridge on a rope, climb a climbing wall. In the North Caucasus, lovers of extreme sports will find entertainment for every taste.

Worth special mention organization excursion tours in the North Caucasus. For example, a trip to the Chegem Gorge, which is located in Kabardino-Balkaria, will delight you with an unforgettable experience.

Here you can see famous Chegem waterfalls, which are good not only in summer, but also in winter. Frozen ice streams resemble giant candles.

The famous ones fascinate with their beauty Blue Lakes, the deepest of which is the Lower Lake.

Its approximate depth is 368 meters. There is a diving center on this lake.

The famous waterfall "Maiden's Braids" located slightly away from the road to the Terskol Peak observatory. This waterfall got its name because of its unusual shape, which resembles a girl’s loose hair. This attraction is often visited by tourists and climbers who train before climbing the main Caucasian peak- Elbrus. You can fish and catch Eisenam trout on Lake Kazenoy-Am, which is located in a mountainous area on the border of Dagestan and the Chechen Republic. This is a lake unique in its beauty, covered in many myths and legends.

Kazbek

In the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, the most famous landmark is Mount Kazbek. Kazbek attracts climbers from all over the world. But you don't have to be a climber to enjoy mountain landscapes, all this is accessible to ordinary unprepared people. In addition, in this part of the republic excursion routes pass through the Uastirdzhi monument, the Davgas necropolis, the Mykalgabyrta sanctuary, the Dzivgis cave fortress, and the Midagrabin waterfalls.

The Republic of Dagestan also offers a rich excursion program. You can’t help but visit the Sary-Kum sand dune, the Sulak canyon, which ranks second in depth in the world, and the village of Gunib, famous for the fact that the famous Imam Shamil was captured here during the Caucasian War.

Derbent

I would also like to say about Derbent - the most ancient city in Russia. This is one of the main attractions North Caucasus.

This city is more than 2000 years old. Lovers of antiquity will love an excursion to the Naryn-Kala fortress, the main attraction of Derbent. It was built in the 6th century AD.

Very often people come to Derbent with an important mission - to rock an ancient stone cradle. Women who want to have a child come here from neighboring republics and cities. It is located in the Kirkhlyar cemetery among the sarcophagi. The special spirit of Derbent is conveyed by its mahals. The ancient quarters are very colorful. Here you can easily become a witness or participant in some Caucasian custom; according to reviews from tourists, this leaves the most favorable impressions.

You can travel through the entire Republic of Ingushetia in just a few days, but the positive emotions and energy received here will be enough for several months to come. Here are located medieval fortresses and towers: Vovnushki, Tsori, Furtoug, Erzi, Targim, Egikal, Khamkhi. If you find yourself in Ingushetia at the beginning of July, you can visit a mulberry grove, which bears fruit at this time.

In the Chechen Republic, the most beautiful place is the Argun Gorge. In ancient times, caravans from Chechnya to Georgia passed through this gorge. At the intersections of the main roads there are watchtowers, which were built by the inhabitants of the gorge in order to protect against the attacks of nomads. Now the territory of the gorge is a nature reserve, in which, in addition to historical towers X-XVIII centuries, unique flora and fauna have been concentrated here; there are cave grottoes, ground burial grounds, castle complexes and family crypts, ancient sites and tombs. Excursions around the Argun Gorge take place in the crypt dwellings of the 10th-15th centuries: Khoysky, Khimoysky, Pakochsky, Maistinsky and Tsekaloysky. Excursions to the mountains of Chechnya are an exciting and unforgettable journey.

On the right bank of the Argun River there is the Guchan-Kale tower, 17 meters high. One of Tamerlane’s commanders called it “winged” for its inaccessibility and remoteness.

In addition to natural and historical attractions, the capital of the Chechen Republic, the city of Grozny, deserves special attention. The complex of high-rise buildings “Grozny City” and the “Heart of Chechnya” mosque named after Akhmat-Khadzhi Kadyrov are located here, which became one of the leaders in the Internet voting “Russia-10”, in which Russians chose the 10 best attractions of our Motherland.

We should not forget that the North Caucasus is one of the best places for therapeutic and restorative holidays, because it was not for nothing that in the recent past these places were called the “all-Union health resort”. Those who have undergone a course of treatment in the clinics of the Caucasian Mineral Waters leave only positive reviews, because people’s health significantly improves after a complex of all procedures.

Essentuki

The Essentuki resort is famous for its drinking springs. The famous mineral water of the same name is known throughout the world thanks to its healing properties. There are several balneological clinics here, where they specialize in the treatment of gastrointestinal and metabolic disorders.

Pyatigorsk and Zheleznovodsk

Hot springs and springs attract vacationers to the sanatoriums of Zheleznovodsk, most of which specialize in the treatment of the urinary and digestive systems. Pyatigorsk hospitals are considered multidisciplinary resorts; almost all diseases are treated here. It’s not for nothing that the great Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov described this place with delight. In this city, his memory was immortalized by building a memorial at the site of his duel with Nikolai Martynov on the northwestern slope of Mount Mashuk.

Kislovodsk

Another city in the ecological resort region of the Caucasian Mineral Waters is Kislovodsk. Local hospitals specialize in treating the endocrine, respiratory, genitourinary, cardiovascular, nervous and musculoskeletal systems of the body. In general, for those who want to relax with benefits for their health, Caucasian Mineral Waters is the best place.

Caucasian kitchen

In the North Caucasus, tourists will never have to worry about where to eat well. Caucasian cuisine is presented here in all its diversity. Many restaurants and small cafes, often family businesses, offer delicious dishes at any time of the day. Having visited the North Caucasus once and seen its greatness mountain peaks I want to come back here again and again.

We were in Sochi in winter. We rode on Krasnaya Polyana. I liked everything, the slopes were prepared, the service was excellent, the prices were the same as in Europe.

Traveling through the North Caucasus is the best thing that can happen to you. If your mind is free of myths and stereotypes, go for it! And we will help you do everything beautifully, clearly and safely. Read our guide.

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#OurCaucasus

As soon as I got my license and bought my first car in 2016, I went on a trip to the North Caucasus. My story is simple: I came, I saw, I fell in love. I fell in love with road trips, I fell in love with the Caucasus. And now every year (or even more than once) I gather a team of friends and go on road expeditions to the most Beautiful places Russia.

In the fall of 2018, I organized another trip to the mountains under the slogan #OurCaucasus. We went to break stereotypes and open this corner of our country to the general public. In a month we traveled through all the republics of the North Caucasus, visited the most beautiful places and proved that our southern regions- a safe and immensely interesting place to travel.

Want to make sure? Read our tips for traveling in the Caucasus!

Our travel team:

Renata Mukminova and Alexey Sinitsyn.
Azat Agleev

Why go to the North Caucasus

Admire the fantastically beautiful landscapes.
To see the highest and most majestic mountains of Russia - neither the Ural nor Altai were even close.
Enjoy the most beautiful mountain roads.
Breathe clean air, live and walk in nature.
Dispel a million myths and make sure that the kindest, most cultural and nice people in Russia.
Good to save! This is not Georgia, not the Alps, and not New Zealand- the same beauties are given away almost for nothing.

Sophia Sedlo, Arkhyz, Karachay-Cherkess Republic.

Watchtower in Chechnya.

Traveling around the Caucasus by car

To travel around the Caucasus you need a car. The ideal option is to drive your own car. This is the only way you can see all the beauties, get to the most remote and secret places, you will be mobile and free to create any routes. Without a car, you won't see even half of it.

It is best to drive an SUV - there are many places in the mountains that can only be reached by a four-wheel drive vehicle in low gear. Don't have your own all-terrain vehicle? No problem - go on a trip in a regular car, and on the spot, if you wish, take excursions in jeeps to hard-to-reach places in the mountains. It won't be as interesting, but it's better than nothing.

Mount Toguzkelbashi, Karachay-Cherkess Republic.

Roads in the Caucasus Mostly good, all main routes have perfect asphalt. There are many bad, broken dirt roads in Dagestan between small villages in the mountains, but there is always an alternative good road.

Petrol. The problem with low-quality gasoline only exists in Dagestan - there are no real gas stations of famous brands there, but only endless “Likoils”, “Lukkoils”, “Rusneft” and other “mutants” that mimic them. Unfortunately, there is a real danger of pouring burnt fuel into the tank of your car, which will instantly damage your engine. I will tell you how to avoid problems and find quality gasoline in a separate report about Dagestan.

DPS. There are a lot of police and other security forces in the Caucasus. Get ready that at almost every checkpoint (and there are many of them here) they will check your documents and ask about your route. As for the rest: if you don’t violate it, they won’t stop you.

Our experience. We made both trips to the North Caucasus in a UAZ Patriot - I use it to travel throughout Russia. This is an ideal car for traveling in the mountains: super cross-country ability and huge capacity. There was only one place where I could not drive this car due to low hanging wires.

One day we finally got stuck - we sat down on our bottom, sliding through the mud into a rut on the Bermamyt plateau, Kabardino-Balkaria.

When to go

The mountains are beautiful and good at any time of the year, but still best period for traveling around the Caucasus - mid-spring or autumn.

At the time of golden autumn I led both of our expeditions: the trees are glowing with golden and crimson colors, the sun is warming, bless you, and there are few tourists even in the most popular places like the Elbrus region or Dombay. In general, traveling in September-October has some advantages.

in spring nature will be completely different. If you want to see the green Caucasus, come in May.

In summer there will be a lot of tourists and it will be too hot, but you can safely spend the night in a tent.

Winter It’s warm in the mountains, but at this time all roads to hard-to-reach places will be covered with snow, trekking is impossible and there is a danger of avalanches.

Golden autumn in the North Caucasus, Djily-Su tract, KBR.

Even in autumn you can freeze! I'm standing on Sofia saddle, the wind is strong and very cold.

Safety

The republics of the North Caucasus are, in my opinion, the safest regions of Russia. Unexpected, right? But my experience, the opinion of local residents and the ratings that I found on the Internet prove this fact.

Good news:

The crime rate in the Caucasus is low; you can safely leave your car in the mountains and go hiking. It has been tested several times, and local residents confidently say the same.
People in the mountains are responsive, attentive and hospitable. Especially in Dagestan: every highlander’s mutual aid is pumped up to level 80. Do you have a problem? Any passerby will do everything to solve it.
In Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan there are a lot of security forces and checkpoints on the roads. These people are not sitting around, but actually maintaining security, so in these republics you feel very calm. If you have questions, feel free to ask them to the military or police - they will help with advice.

But there is also bad news. Alas, security in the Caucasus is not all that good.

The main problem - Wahhabis. Extremists hide in the forest and pose a threat, first of all, to locals. Of course, the likelihood of a meeting is low, so it is stupid to refuse a trip to the Caucasus because of the Wahhabis.
Fools on the roads. There are reckless drivers in the Caucasus, but rumors about them are greatly exaggerated. Although they violate things here, they do it not for the sake of showing off, but for their own convenience. They violate mostly carefully and do not create danger on the road. Almost. Believe me, in comparison with the Kuban and Crimean people, Caucasians are ideal drivers.
Wild animals. There are a lot of bears and wolves in the Caucasus and you can easily meet them. Locals During their lives they meet bears more than once; the beast sometimes even enters villages, but behaves well and does not get rowdy. We didn’t meet any predators, but we did find the freshest bear tracks in the mountains (we quickly disappeared from there, no need to hide it).

But the result is still positive! I can boldly say: in the Caucasus I feel calmer and safer than in Perm, St. Petersburg or Moscow.

Bear trail in the mountains, Karachay-Cherkess Republic.

What to see in the Caucasus

We looked at dozens of sights in the North Caucasus - there will be a large report-list with photos, coordinates and maps.

The most beautiful places in the Caucasus:

Djily-Su tract (KBR),
Dombay with its ski lifts and four picturesque gorges around it: Alibek, Amanauz, Gonachkhir and Dombay-Ulgen (KCR),
Mount Toguzkelbashi (KCR),
Sofia Sedlo (KCR),
Zelenchuk temples (KCR),
Bermamyt Plateau (KCR),
Lago-Naki plateau (Adygea),
City dead Dargavs(North Ossetia),
Tower complexes Egikhal, Targim and Vovnushki (Ingushetia),
Mountain roads east of the lake Kezenoy-Am (Dagestan),
Karadakh Gorge (Dagestan),
Saltinsky underground waterfall (Dagestan),
High mountain villages of Dagestan,
Abandoned village Gamsutl (Dagestan),
Derbent - ancient city Russia (Dagestan).

As you can see, the undisputed leaders in the beauty of landscapes are Dagestan and Karachay-Cherkessia.

If you are a fan of Lermontov’s work and a big fan of “A Hero of Our Time,” you will be curious to see a map of Pechorin and Lermontov’s routes in the Caucasus.

Our walk on the slopes of Elbrus at an altitude of 3700-4100 meters above sea level, KBR.

Saltinsky underground waterfall, Dagestan. Can you find the person in the photo?

We climbed by car to Mount Toguzkelbashi to an altitude of more than 3000 meters, KCR.

Where to live

On both of our expeditions we used the tent empty - only a couple of times we had to spend the night in the car, all other nights we spent in hotels. There are no problems with housing in the North Caucasus. Almost not. In the popular and frequented tourist destinations of the KCR, KBR and Adygea, there is more than enough housing: any options for any money, everything is available. In Ossetia, Chechnya and Dagestan, housing is already more difficult, but in Ingushetia it’s just a pipe. But you can get out, I’ll give you advice for each republic:

KCR, KBR and Adygea: We reserve all accommodation on . Large selection of camp sites, guest houses, hotels, apartments.

North Ossetia: The easiest way is to stay on the outskirts of Vladikavkaz and make daily trips to the mountains.

Ingushetia: There are only 5-7 housing options for the entire republic and not a single decent one. We saw the entire republic in one day, and spent the night in Nazran (a so-so place).

Chechnya: I recommend staying at a motel on the highway rather than in Grozny - it’s cheaper and you don’t have to waste time moving around the city. From the motel you can drive to the mountains. Accommodation on Lake Kezenoy-Am is expensive: from 2,500 rubles for a double room.

Dagestan: in Derbent, Makhachkala and other cities on the shores of the Caspian Sea, the choice of housing is very large, in the mountains it is extremely scarce. To explore mountainous Dagestan, it is convenient to stay in Gunib and drive around the surrounding area. Didn't find housing or didn't have time to return to civilization in the evening? No problem! Any family in mountain villages will be happy to shelter and feed you. In Dagestan, the level of hospitality is simply off the charts.

I really don’t recommend renting apartments directly from private owners (for example, through Avito). They will either slip you a bug plant or they will rack your brain with all sorts of nonsense - don’t even try! Remember: Booking, motels or registration - this is the only way and no amateur activities.

Hotel on Lake Kezenoy-Am, Chechnya.

Clothing and equipment

Haven’t been to the mountains or auto trips yet? No problem, I’ll teach you how to pack a suitcase in half an hour. Here I will give only the most important advice, detailed lists see the links:

Remember the main rule in the mountains: you can never have too much fleece! Decathlon can help you: take fleece pants and sweaters of different densities, windbreakers, a hat and cap, plenty of thermal socks, shorts and T-shirts.

Instead of heavy, uncomfortable and non-breathable trekking boots, it is better to take trail sneakers - these are the best shoes that humanity has invented. Trekking poles will be very useful for you when hiking.

Your own kettle or boiler, a set of mugs, tea, coffee, porridge in bags and all sorts of cookies - this simple set will brighten up your trip, warm, invigorate and satiate you every morning and evening.

In the mountains, hot tea from a thermos is always welcome.

Nutrition

Before traveling to the North Caucasus, according to the old tradition, we bought half the supermarket: canned food, pates, biscuits, cereals, dried fruits, nuts, bars and other supplies. During any road trip, my trunk looks like a food cupboard in a nuclear war bunker. If in Altai food quickly jumped into our camp pot - just have time to replenish it, then in the Caucasus we ate mainly in cafes.

the food is delicious,
food is cheap
save time,
the diet will be varied,
Finding a cafe is not a problem.

On average, you can eat for 200-300 rubles per person; in Dombay and Terskol it is more expensive; these places are spoiled by tourists. In Vladikavkaz you can eat delicious kebab for 600 rubles per kg - just fantastic. In Dagestan, in any village, any housewife will feed you from the heart for free.

We eat khinkal in Dagestan.

But still take a small set of products:

canned food, cereals and water supply in case of emergency;
nuts, muesli, chocolate, dried fruits for a snack on hikes or on a trip;
porridge in bags for a quick breakfast at the hotel.

Our kitchen and table in a trailer at the Djily-Su springs, CBD.

How much money do you need for the trip?

Few! Compared to the expenses required by a trip to Europe or even to resorts Krasnodar region, then traveling to the North Caucasus is inexpensive.

There were three of us on this expedition. We spent exactly a month in the Caucasus, plus the road from Perm (almost 3000 km) took 3-4 days one way.

Expenses per person per month:

Housing - 17,300 rubles.
Meals in a cafe - 9800 rub.
Products - 6500 rub.
Mobile communication - 300 rub.
Missing medications in the first aid kit - 1000 rubles.
Attractions and ski lifts - 2700 rub.

Car expenses (entire amount):

Gasoline in the Caucasus - 15,000 rubles.
Gasoline for the trip there and back - 25,000 rubles.
Repair and maintenance of a car while traveling - 1100 rubles.

Of course there were also travel preparation expenses: car maintenance, buying clothes and equipment - but all these expenses relate not only to this trip, so we don’t count them, but we keep them in mind when planning the budget.

The most expensive thing on this trip is gasoline. But if your car’s consumption is not 13-20 liters per hundred and you don’t need to travel 6,000 kilometers there and back to the Caucasus, then your trip will be much cheaper.

Fogs in the mountains of Dombay, Karachay-Cherkess Republic.

Near Lake Kezenoy-Am, Chechnya.

Cultural program

There is a category of vacationers who come to the Caucasus (and anywhere) only for three things: booze, barbecue and a bathhouse. Mostly they go to Dombay, a little less to Arkhyz and the Elbrus region, and are almost never seen in other places. I hope your interests, like ours, are broader than this list. If so, then take note of useful books, films and articles that will help you better understand the culture of the peoples of the North Caucasus.

"Hero of our time". M. Yu Lermontov.
"Prisoner of the Caucasus" L. N. Tolstoy.
"Hadji Murat". L. N. Tolstoy.
"Caucasus". A. Dumas (travel notes).
"Letters from Dagestan". A. A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky.

See also the list of books in this post on LiveJournal and in the comments to it.

See the list of books about the Caucasian War on Arzamas.

What to listen to:

Arzamas prepared excellent material about the traditional music of the Caucasian peoples.

What to see:

"Prisoner of the Caucasus" 1996, Sergei Bodrov (senior).
"Ashik-Kerib" 1988, Sergei Parajanov (based on Lermontov's poem and an Azerbaijani fairy tale).

From documentaries I can recommend Anton Lange's film "The Ridge. Kakaz from sea to sea." I won’t say that the film turned out excellent, but you won’t find anything better on YouTube about the Caucasus.

As a psychotherapist, I know better than anyone that in our lives every person can be inadequate. But I never thought that my wife, a professional psychologist, and I, like crazy people, were capable of an endless series of crazy actions. In short, judge for yourself.

The story of our move from Siberia to the Caucasus is so chaotic that I will not present it in chronological order, but as fragmentary memories come to me. I’ll leave 3 Years of Slavery without description for now; 3.5 years of life without a passport and how my former student, a young and beautiful university teacher, refused to defend her PhD, left the department and became my wife. I won’t tell you how I got an American driver’s license before I got a Russian passport, and for free.

My wife Svetlana and I lived on the outskirts in a small house, which I managed to purchase, despite the fact that I had no rights. I was very drawn to the Caucasus, to my homeland. My former patients from Grozny, having found me on the Internet, gave me a small house in a small village in the Stavropol region.

I sold my house near Kemerovo, if you can call it a sale: I gave the documents for the house to the buyer, who promised to pay in May. Naturally, I was planning to leave in May in my Moskvichonka - 412. Alas, the dream was not destined to come true in time, because... my buyer constantly and well ran away from me until November, until it dawned on me that I was a loser and “it’s useless to wait for weather from the sea.”

What would a normal person, left without money, do in our place? He would sell the property, send the container to its destination and calmly board a passing train. But we were not destined to avoid difficult adventures, because... I decided in November to drive my hard-working car, packed only with summer tires, which does not like high speeds and guzzles gasoline like a Japanese truck.

I should also say that we have two dogs: one is Dina, a piebald hound that was given to me as a small puppy. The second, Ryzhik, who looked like a fox, abandoned his owners and quietly moved into our house, having previously made friends with Dina. Naturally, we could not betray the dogs and leave them.

And so 3 years ago, having decided to leave, in the afternoon we packed our Moskvich: 2 computers and 2 monitors were loaded onto the roof. In order not to beat them, bed linen, clothes, shoes and other shukhra-mukhr were placed around and between the “iron”. We covered the resulting pyramid with polyethylene, covered it with tape and tied it with ropes. The result was something cartoonishly reminiscent of a Subarik minibus. I threw out all the spare parts from the trunk, filling it with important things, according to my wife.

The journey began around ten o'clock in the evening, in complete darkness. My Moskvich started easily, despite the November frost. The dogs settled down in the back seat, the wife sat down next to him, and the wheels began to spin towards Yurga, away from the “Tuleev Khanate”.

I'm glad - goodbye Kemerovo!

Having passed Yurga, I was glad that I jumped out of the Kemerovo region. The wheels of my car were spinning, taking me further away from the cold lands towards the Caucasian sun, and the thoughts in my head went to memories, to the fact that my driver’s license, obtained in the USA, was not a document allowing driving in Russia.

There was an order from Mr. Nurgaliev that sounded something like this: “If a person is a citizen of the Russian Federation and has been registered in it for more than two months, then he must drive with a national license.” I was stopped twice by traffic cops and fined 1,000 rubles, indicating in the protocol: “I was driving without a driver’s license.” Then they let you go - move on. They were not interested in the old man and his Moskvichon. How could I not be happy and remember America and Canada, where I freely rented a car with the help of an old Russian license that looked like a tattered piece of paper. I calmly crossed borders and no one stopped me.

So, during the night I reached the junction leading me towards Omsk. My joy was so great that I couldn’t make the turn on the ice and my Moskvich-412 flew past, and when I braked, it performed a dance on the ice, spinning around its axis five times. The only thing that saved me from an accident was the fact that there were no oncoming trucks early in the morning.

Having experienced a little stress, having caught my breath a little, I drive onto the viaduct and press the gas. Omsk is a thousand miles away. The car runs forward, covering kilometers. The road is slippery, but for some reason I am not worried and drive at high speeds. The speedometer needle runs between 100 and 120 kilometers. There are many traffic police posts along the road. But they don’t want to slow me down, they defiantly turn away, seeing the make of the car, its awkward equipment and realizing that there is an old man on whom you will waste your nerves and not make money.

So I flew another 600 kilometers, with two stops for a snack and the dog toilet. I feel like I’m tired and I’m about to pass out. I press on the gas to cover another hundred kilometers. But here my “horse” could not stand it - the gasket under the block head burst. Got up. We slept for a couple of hours. I vote for them to be towed, but the cars fly past without slowing down. I quit voting, cursing. The frost began to get to me. A Mercedes minibus is driving. I stand with my hands hopelessly hanging, thinking that the bourgeoisie, in such cars, do not pay attention to those in need of help. The Mercedes braked, backed up, and a black-haired young guy got out: “Get the cable. And let my wife sit in my cabin and warm up.”

Having dragged me 150 kilometers to the campsite, he helped push my cripple into the car service workshop. Having agreed with the craftsmen to change the gasket and oil, I entered the hotel. A guy who called himself Mikola stood next to his wife and they were talking about something with my other half: “Get settled in the room, come downstairs in half an hour, we’ll have dinner together,” he said.

The world is not without good people

I don’t know what they were talking about in the warm cabin of the Merc while I was freezing, in my car. But, most likely, my wife told me about me, that I graduated from the Lvov Medical Institute, I know Polish and Ukrainian languages and much more, in beautiful colors. This became clear to me when we went downstairs and sat down at a table in the cafe: the table was set.

In the middle was a decanter with half a liter of vodka, and my savior spoke to me in the Western Ukrainian dialect. He said that they were in a hurry to get home because... they received a call that a child was sick; his wife is Moldavian and we went to Siberia to visit her relatives.

He paid for dinner with vodka in advance. Mikola did not drink, and I used up the entire decanter. His responsiveness and hospitality reminded me of my native Grozny, where I, like my friends, could invite them to a restaurant and quietly pay the waiter; where I could enter any house and be sure to be fed; where my children ran around with a crowd of peers and they emptied my and every other refrigerator from top to bottom.

Waking up in the morning, my wife and I, without having breakfast, went to a car service center. I started the car and drove to the highway. As soon as I turned onto the road, the car stalled. After fiddling with it for about 10 minutes, I realized that I wouldn’t start it and headed to the service center. There I saw a mocking attitude, a reluctance to do anything, and realized that talking was useless. Having returned to his car, which was unsuitable for continuing the journey, he decided to vote, hoping for a tow. At this time, my saviors, having had breakfast, got into their car and drove out onto the highway. Mikola, apparently immediately guessing what had happened, braked and said to me with a laugh: “Give me the rope. It's 150 kilometers from Omsk. Don’t start the engine, I’ll drag you to the turn into the city, there will be about 15 kilometers left. From the turn I’ll rush towards the house.” We drove forward to continue the adventure.

Stopping at the turn to Omsk, I warmly thanked the savior angels and we said goodbye, never to meet again, but to remember the adventure and each other.

It didn't take long to vote at the turn. At the wave of my hand, ZIL stopped, took me in tow, and my wife went back into the warm cabin. And again, thanks to my wife’s colorful stories, a kind person came our way. He dragged me to the house where my mother-in-law lived, but refused the money.

My father-in-law and mother-in-law, my peers, received us very well. They spoke with the neighbor. He went to a car repair shop, then hooked my “bucket” to his Toyota and we arrived at the repair site. They agreed to rebuild the engine in two days for 6 thousand domestic rubles, because... the oil ended up in the crankcase and the liner turned. The repairs took up to ten days. My father-in-law and mother-in-law received us very well, shared a little money, and let the dogs live on the balcony.

Ten days later we left for the Urals, to new impressions. I didn’t draw any conclusions from my past adventures and kept pressing on the gas. It ended up that in front of Zlatoust, the gasket was broken again, and antifreeze began to fill one cylinder. Sneezing and coughing, my Moskvich made it to the city by dark. I parked my car in front of the station and went to look for accommodation for the night. When he saw the police station, he looked in and asked for help with lodging for the night, because... at the station they said that there were no rooms in the hotel, and the station was closed for the night. I looked at the animals, who, having checked my documents, began to be rude. My restraint and calmness nevertheless led to the fact that my wife and I were allowed to rest at the station. In the morning I found a taxi driver who took us to the auto repair shop parking lot. The watchman called the owner and we were given a room to stay for the night. The only thing they asked was to thoroughly heat the room, which I gladly did. There were some holidays, and we had to wait 3 days, having tea with the watchman.

When the owner showed up, I told him that I couldn’t allocate more than a thousand rubles for repairs. He called the mechanic and the next morning I set off towards Bashkiria, vowing to myself not to rev the gas or force the engine any more.

Adventures in Bashkiria

The road ran along the plain. I kept the speed no more than 100 km. I drove all day without getting tired, and stopped at a “fun” camping site. I parked the car among the trucks and went to the administrator about lodging for the night. There were a lot of drunks all around: someone was bawling songs, someone was trying to persuade a friend to give it to him, someone was sorting things out with their fists.

Having paid 500 rubles, my wife and I headed to compartment carriage, standing on the foundation. There was impassable dirt in the corridor, and the doors of some compartments were broken. From behind one door a scandal could be heard, ending in caresses with kisses and vows of allegiance, and then again turning into a shouting match with choice abuse. This free concert continued tirelessly until the morning.

In the morning the car did not want to start. The truck drivers had not yet woken up; there was no one to ask for help. Suddenly a group of about six people poured out of the administrator’s door. Among them was a senior traffic police lieutenant in uniform and with a badge. I came up and asked: “Guys, can you help me start my car?” They started the conversation by asking where I was coming from and where I was going. When he said that from Siberia to the Caucasus, they respected me, saying that in order to decide to cover five and a half thousand kilometers using such equipment, you have to be a hero. After talking, the guys began to push the “Moskvichonka” with frantic force. Being hungover and having made ten laps around the parking lot, we were completely exhausted and wanted to give up this idea. But the starley said that he would not go anywhere until he started the car. Having rested, the guys began to ride me again and my equipment, sneezing a couple of times, purred contentedly, getting ready to continue on its way.

After thanking the guys, I drove out onto the track and drove forward, towards my dream. Without exceeding the speed of more than one hundred kilometers per hour, he drove three hundred kilometers and ended up in Bashkiria. Thought about my own business, I didn’t notice how a traffic policeman came out onto the road and waved his baton at me, ordering me to stop. Braking sharply, I drove straight into the ditch. Getting out of the car, I thought: “Well, that’s it! The pipe is the thing!”

Two lieutenants came up to me and asked where I was in such a hurry. I handed over the documents to one of them and said that I was very tired because... I get from afar, home, to the Caucasus. They looked at me, at the car, shook their heads and offered to drive. One of them, driving the patrol car closer to mine, pulled out his cable. The second one reached under my car and secured it there. Having pulled me out of the hole, they gave me, without looking, my American license, PTSku and registration certificate, telling me to sleep for a couple of hours next to them, and then continue on my way.

Half an hour passed. I couldn't sleep. Getting out of the car, I went to the officers and said that I couldn’t sleep, I’d better move on. The guys didn’t mind, they just asked me to be careful. Having thanked them, I rushed on, not imagining what “joy” awaited me ahead.

I shouldn't have sworn. "Free Circus"

It was in vain that I swore that I would not accelerate again. Such Ural steep descents and ascents began that at low speeds it was not possible to climb these hillocks. In addition, a strong snowstorm began to swirl, and I could no longer see which side I was traveling on. A truck was speeding towards me, and it drove past. - Ugh! – I exhaled, “Thank God, it passed!” I'm climbing another pass. The engine began to sneeze and stalled almost at the very top. The handbrake did not want to be held on a steep climb. Turning the steering wheel, I backed up and supported the car with the side fence of the road.

My wife and I slept a little. Then we felt that we were starting to freeze. The car wouldn't start. We had three gas canisters with us and began to burn them. It didn't help for long. When the cold began to overcome, another portion of gas was burned. Fortunately, by morning the snowstorm stopped and the frost began to weaken. After waiting for dawn, we decided to pick up the things we could carry and abandon the car along with the computers and other berths.

The released dogs ran away for a walk. Armed with a knife, they began to cut the ropes and tape. They tore the plastic off the car. They removed the computers and processors, carefully placing them in the snow behind the fence. Boxes with CD/DVD discs were placed next to them - someone will need them. Following this, they began to sort through the rest of the things - we put what we needed into bags, and we threw the “unnecessary” things over the fence.

A traffic police car drives up in the oncoming lane and two officers get out. They don't come closer.

I’ve been serving in the police for twenty years, and this is the first time I’ve seen this?!? Get the car off the road! – One policeman shouted.

My nerves were so tense that I didn’t care who I took it out on, and I answered him:
- Go down, slow down. I’ll push her now, and she’ll fly over the fence at the turn.
- Are you crazy? - he is indignant.
“Everything is possible,” I answer.

At this time, a sprinkler arrives to treat the road from icing. The officer stops her and says to the driver:
- Take them in tow, drag them to the gas station. We'll figure it out there.

The policemen get into the car, turn around and drive away.
- You don’t need this??? Can I take it? – asks the driver of the “self-propelled barrel”, looking at the computers.

He quickly began placing our things in his cabin. There wasn’t enough space there, so he started placing them near the tank. I called the dogs, hitched my unfortunate “Moskvich” to his “ZIL” and we drove off. On the way, my car started. At the top, I deliberately braked sharply and the cable broke. I overtake the Polivayka and soon stop at a gas station, where the traffic police is waiting for me. As if nothing had happened, I ask them how to get to settlement. They told me to follow them and set off. Far ahead of me, they stopped at an intersection. One of them got out of the car, and when I drove up, he showed me with his baton to go right. So they got rid of strange people, sending them to Tataria, neighboring Bashkiria.

Farewell, my friend, “Moskvichonok”. Then I go by train

I mentally thank the police for sending me not to the left, to Abdullino, from where trains went to the Caucasus, but to Bugulma. My car ran briskly towards Bugulma, sneezing, coughing, but not stopping. Having driven 25 kilometers, I found myself in the city center, where, at an intersection, my faithful friend stalled and finally died. People came up offering their help. I asked them to help move the car off the road, and they pushed it to the side of the road.

A guy, about twenty-eight to thirty, came up to me. We talked to him. His name was Victor. He called on his cell phone and soon a Gazelle drove up. My car was towed and we ended up at the station square. The guy said that he had a parking lot and a car repair shop outside the city, and the tow truck would only be free in the evening. Having learned that I had to leave, he and my wife went to get a veterinary certificate authorizing dogs to travel on the train. Within 15 minutes the certificates were in my hands. I asked him how much it cost. He laughed and waved his hand, saying it was nothing.

Let’s do this, Victor suggested to me: you leave the car with me, I’ll leave you the address, you’ll come and pick it up. I’ll repair it so that it will at least reach Vladivostok. I replied that she served me well and died.
- OK, as you want. Wait here about twenty minutes, I'll come over.

About half an hour later he returned with a man in a foreign car. Taking me aside, he said that this man, named Mikhail, would take us to Abdullino. You don’t need to pay him anything, just to refuel the car. I gave Victor the title and registration certificate and did not remove the license plates. Victor, pointing to the Moskvich, said: “You take off the license plates and take the PTS. Perhaps you’ll change your mind and take her.” I just waved my response. On the way, Mikhail told me that Victor was a local authority.

An hour and a half later we were in Abdullino, at the station. I thanked the driver and went to ticket offices. I bought tickets. I leave the building. A policeman and a runaway boy with a thug-like appearance come up to me. We checked the documents. They gave it away. They saw how many bags we had and came up again: “Let’s go to the line department.”

Ten minutes before the train leaves. The captain comes out onto the porch, looks at the documents, and asks where I’m going. I explained everything to him and said that if I don’t leave, he should explain it to the prosecutor. He looked at us, at the dogs, and gave us the documents, letting us go with God.

We ran to the train. Knowing that, according to the rules, dogs are transported in the first vestibule from the locomotive, I run to the first carriage. The conductor, a fat, stupid and angry woman, insisted: “I won’t let you in, that’s all!” Fortunately, the head of the train took us to the eighth car and ordered the young conductors to seat us.

We took turns on duty with the dogs in the vestibule. The passengers turned out to be normal people and they didn’t make scandals, didn’t look askance, although Dina was angry and didn’t bark at very many people. So we got to where our fellow countrymen warmly greeted us and took us to the village.

I have been through a lot in life: I worked in Moscow and abroad; rested on best resorts; He left so much money in taverns that it would be enough to buy more than one foreign car. But my wife and I can safely say that we would not trade our small house near the cemetery for any benefits. Having lived in the village for three years, we clearly appreciated how much more pleasant it is to take care of goats and poultry than to live in society and pretend to be something!!!

A Medialeaks correspondent spent two weeks in the Caucasus in one of the most popular winter resorts, having time to enjoy all the delights of domestic tourism. Having survived extortions, theft and almost becoming an unwitting accomplice to a crime, OLGA KHOKHRYAKOVA tells what you need to be prepared for when going on vacation to the North Caucasus instead of Egypt and Turkey.

Two categories of people come to the Caucasus: skiers (snowboarders and skiers) - the majority of them - and simply tourists who like to breathe fresh air and wake up with a view of the mountains outside the window.

Our small company falls into the first category. And for several years now we have been traveling to various parts of Russia, exploring the country almost every holiday. For example, last year the winter vacation we spent in the Arctic Circle - near Murmansk, where there are also ski resorts. And this year we decided to try the classic of alpine skiers - the Caucasus.

We rested in famous resort Elbrus region (Kabardino-Balkarian Republic), which is 200 km from the airport Mineralnye Vody. There are two resorts here - near the Cheget glade and near the Azau glade. There is a 5 km path between them. We lived in Cheget, and skied mainly in Azau - this is a larger resort with trails of varying levels of difficulty.

Be prepared for extortion

Two weeks in the Caucasus New Year cost us about 70 thousand per person, including tickets, accommodation, ski passes (a card that gives you the right to go to the ski lifts) and food. As well as unforeseen expenses, which you should prepare for financially when traveling to the Caucasus.

From the first days you begin to get the feeling that you are being extracted from you at every step. Here, everything costs 100 rubles (and multiples thereof). And you have to pay for everything here - that’s how the system works.

Firstly, taxi. Public transport It’s not here, it hasn’t been and apparently it won’t be, although the resort has existed for more than a decade. Everything is divided between private traders, who have fixed prices, below which they do not transport. For example, how much does it cost to travel 5 km from one resort to another? 300 rubles per car. In Moscow, for this money you can easily arrange a ride from Kitay-Gorod to Ostankino.

The trunk of every domestic passenger car is equipped here to carry passengers with snowboards, skis and poles (and there are no other cars, except perhaps a few private minibuses). I still don’t understand how they secure the equipment in the trunk, but one day our driver didn’t even bother to close it. I drove all the way looking back, especially since it was a hatchback.

If someone comes here and takes people cheaper, they will quickly knock him on the head and kick him out of the clearing,” said our taxi driver, with whom we became friends.

And when the flow of tourists increased after the New Year, a traffic police post appeared on the way, which divided the road into two parts. So I had to pay 200 before the post, then go with my skis through the post, gather people on a large minibus and another 50 rubles per person.

If you want to go somewhere other than the slopes, the prices are as follows: from the Elbrus region to the Chegem waterfalls - 3,000 rubles per car. If you grab more thermal source near Nalchik - 5,000 rubles. To get to Grozny and back - 8,000 rubles.

And to rudeness

From the moment you pay the money, no one owes you anything anymore.

Let us remain silent that prices for ski passes to Azau have increased 2.5 times - from 900 rubles to 2200 per day. Here we must remember that at any time they can hang a magic sign on the cash register of any content.

For example, we bought a ski pass before the New Year, and for it (for the card itself) a deposit of 100 rubles is given. And when we came for a ride a couple of days later - after the New Year - we saw a sign “Old-style cards are not accepted.”

Will you return the deposit?

“Of course not,” the cashier said categorically.

No, she wasn't joking. Not only did they not give us a deposit, they refused to exchange the card for a new one, so we had to pay another 100 rubles as a deposit for new map. And it seems like, well, these hundred rubles, but this happens at every step.

How is it that you take a deposit and then don’t return it?

I should have turned in the card earlier.

Of course, no one warned us that the cards could suddenly change. Moreover, a couple of days before, I asked the cashiers when prices would increase, and they said “we don’t know.” And they didn’t say anything about the fact that it’s better to hand over the cards, otherwise they won’t accept them later. And there was no sign.

But there was another sign that said: if anything happens, all your problems. You bought a ski pass, but the cable car was closed due to weather conditions? Money is not returned - you must monitor the forecast and assess the situation yourself (money is returned only if the entire resort is closed).

And they always sell ski passes for all cable cars, even those that are closed.

Is there a cable car to Garabashi station?

And yesterday you told me that it also works before the World. And it was closed.

Who told you that? - the cashier hatched.

You told me personally.

They can sell you a ski pass to any point, saying that it works. But only there you will find out how it really is.

Don't forget to pay tribute

Does your taxi driver want to enter the territory of the Cheget clearing at the height of the day, when there are many people interested? A man immediately appears, stands in front of the entrance with a wad of money and collects from everyone who wants to pass.

Need a child lift? It looks something like this, although this photo is not from the Elbrus region:

And it’s free in Europe, near Murmansk, and everywhere. An uncle stands here and collects 20 rubles per lift. No checks or cash registers.

Tell me, is that children's lift paid for?

“I don’t know,” the cashier snaps with displeasure.

How do you not know that he doesn’t treat you?

No, - and closes the window.

Yes, this is another feature of the Caucasus - if usually “one resort - one owner - one ski pass”, then whoever managed to get there sat down.

Toilets are also a separate business, because it is difficult to find a cafe at any of the stations that will have one. And why, if you can install it separately, then people will have to walk in the cold and pay another 20-30 rubles.

Don't expect quality for your money

It would seem that for 2200 per day the level should be no lower than the post-Olympic Sochi, where ski passes this season were sold for 2500. But when vacationing in the resorts of the North Caucasus, you must remember - here you are not guaranteed anything for your money. But here:

Queues for buying tickets in 3 windows, in which sleepy people have to stand for an hour, turn into a homogeneous mass;

The queue in the cabin on the cable car is also not regulated in any way, although there is a special person there who could let a certain number of people through the entrance frame. Several times before our eyes there were almost fights, but a special person was not very worried about this - he made sure that two people did not pass on the same ticket;

They don't care about safety here

This became clear two years ago, after a resonant story with a zorb at another popular ski resort in the Caucasus - Dombay. Where tourists who paid 300 rubles were offered a ride in a Zorb. One day he flew off the slope. One of the tourists died, the second was hospitalized.

Zorb is not offered in the Elbrus region, but it is far from safe skiing here. There are practically no fences anywhere on Azau. On Cheget, which is considered one of the most dangerous mountains, I haven't seen any at all. And that's where people die every year. Tragedy happened here too.

We heard that an avalanche occurred in Cheget.

They talked about this in the cabin on the cable car. When we descended, details reached us - three people died in the avalanche.

Another half hour later, already in the room, we were answering numerous missed calls from our parents and explaining that we had skated in the wrong place today. Although just a couple of days ago...

The news reported that two girls from Moscow, born in 1990 and 1991, and a man from St. Petersburg, born in 1973, were skating in the wrong place. Well, that is, they say, it’s their own fault.

“The southern slopes of Cheget are closed for skiing. The route is marked and there are clear instructions that you are not allowed to ride there. People ignore warnings and as a result a tragedy occurs,” TASS quoted the head of the press service of the North Caucasus regional center of the Ministry of Emergency Situations as saying.

True, he did not specify what instructions he was talking about. Most likely because they aren't really there. I was on the tracks and went freeride, on Cheget I didn’t see a single net, not a single fence, not a single table or sign that would show where the track begins and where it ends. All that remains is to focus on others.

Moreover, Cheget is officially positioned as a freeride track and tickets are sold there for those who love its steep off-piste slopes. Here, for example, is a map of Cheget from the official website of the Elbrus Resort:

Freeride areas are indicated in purple. Labeled. And as you can see, they are the majority. But here, too, there is a magic sign hanging at the checkout, which says that in connection with weather conditions riding is not recommended. This sign, apparently, is where the resort's responsibility ends. And in Switzerland there are special guns that blow up avalanche-prone areas so that no one accidentally causes an avalanche.

It says in the description and about southern slopes, which allegedly, according to the local Ministry of Emergency Situations, are not intended for riding.

Moreover, the Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that 28 service employees were looking for the bodies of the dead, although not a single one is visible in the Channel One video, but there are guys who look like ordinary skiers and snowboarders.

“All three victims were pulled out of the avalanche in Cheget. 28 rescuers took part in the search work on the avalanche cone about 100 meters long, 30-40 meters wide and with a snow height of up to 10 meters,” Interfax-South quoted Kantemir Davydov, head of the press service of the SKRTS EMERCOM of Russia.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations also reported that “EMERCOM employees conduct briefings and conversations, distribute booklets and reminders about avalanche danger, rules of behavior in the mountains (including English language), update the weather forecast for the coming day and remind you of the single emergency number “112”.

True, neither I nor any of my friends have seen this.

Be prepared for unexpected setbacks

In two weeks we have almost become accustomed to rudeness and exactions, especially since the Caucasus is a part of Russia in which we all grew up. But what happened next went beyond even Russian holidays.

On New Year's Day, in one of the bars in the Cheget clearing, our phone was stolen. It was in my pocket, we were taking pictures, and then, after having fun on the dance floor, it was simply gone. The impressions of the holiday were spoiled, I had to come to terms with it. Whether this was due to groups of Caucasians who all dressed in black came into the bar from time to time, stood at the exit without undressing, and then also left, or to someone else is unknown.

But after 6 days they called us. Or rather, the father of the owner of the stolen phone. A certain Jamal called and said that an iPhone was found in his stolen car, which was found in Nalchik. At first, it’s true, he said that he was white, but then he corrected himself, because ours was black. What he wanted is unclear, but he hinted that “if he thought that we stole the car, then we would have already been sitting there.”

The owner of the phone called back as soon as he found out about Jamal. But a woman answered the phone and introduced herself as his wife. She spoke extremely rudely, asked with hints where our phone came from in their stolen car and showed with all her appearance that she did not want to discuss anything. In this conversation, one thing became clear - they live a few kilometers from us, in the Elbrus region. They didn’t call again, didn’t answer SMS, and she hung up on the next call.

So we were left alone with the thoughts that it was good that the phone was not found at the murder scene. And with a stupid feeling that someone who knows that the phone is stolen and even knows the owner does not care to give it back.

After that it became more uncomfortable than ever. Suddenly it became clearly clear that here you are truly on your own. You experience something similar just driving through the republics: from Kabardino-Balkaria through North Ossetia and Ingushetia to Chechnya, to Grozny. Where the “Grozny is the center of the world” stella stands, where Vladimir Putin Avenue flows into Akhmat Kadyrov Avenue, where in fact it was much calmer than in Ingushetia, although we saw it from the car window. Where at every border of the republic the car is stopped by armed traffic police officers.

What are the conclusions? When we landed in Domodedovo, our entire company breathed a sigh of relief. No one plans to return to the Caucasus anymore. Because for last years nothing has changed there, and in order for something to change, you need not just pour money into it, but monitor, study, delve into it.

It would seem, why else did the government order the creation in 2010 of the North Caucasus Resorts company, which manages ski resorts in the south of Russia?

“The total cost of the tourism cluster project, including in the development of tourism-related sectors of the economy, involves attracting over 450 billion rubles to the region. investment. Of these, 60 billion rubles. “These are government investments, 390 billion are funds from private investors,” says the company’s website.

The main shareholders of KSK are the state represented by Special Economic Zones JSC; Sberbank and Vnesheconombank are also among the founders, the website says.

Alexander Khloponin, the presidential envoy to the North Caucasian Federal District, came to the opening of the 3rd stage in Azau, although after he left, it was immediately closed.

So what has actually changed over the past 10 years: at one of the most dangerous resorts of Cheget - nothing. New slopes have indeed appeared in Azau, 3 stages of new cable car. But the most important thing is that at the resort there is still a feeling that nothing is controlled, that this is some kind of local Caucasian business, and not a strategically important area for the government. That they don’t think about the safety of vacationers, but only about their money.

True, the air in the Caucasus is truly amazing, both nature and its gifts. And, of course, you meet nice people.

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